"Right then Rose Tyler," The Doctor grinned at her as he flew around the console, readying the TARDIS for rematerialisation. "The Cardiff Rift. December 26th 2006!." He slammed his hand down on a purple button, jumped away from the controls, and then flung his arms out wide.

"You think you're so impressive," Rose teased, reminiscent of their first adventure in time together.

"I am so impressive," the Doctor crossed his arms over his chest, attempting to look affronted.

Rose rolled her eyes and shook her finger at him, "Oh, no. No. That doesn't work for ya'. Not in that face." She nodded towards him.

The Doctor grinned and gave a quick nod, "Quite right too. All grumpy, grump, grump, he was when I was him. Though," he amended, "you should have met my first self. Look up the meaning of grump, and you'll see it in black and white." He grimaced and pulled on his tie. "With that floppy-wappy ribbon cravat tie thingy."

Rose raised an eyebrow. "Really? Grumpy, grump? "Floppy-wappy?"

The new Doctor just grinned wider and then rushed down the ramp. "Cardiff!" He flung the doors open and rushed out.

"No doubt… not at all," Rose murmured with a soft smile as she slowly followed behind the Doctor. Her Doctor.

The Doctor suddenly reappeared. "Come on then!" He rushed up the ramp, grasped onto her hand, and pulled her from the TARDIS. "Let's go have a wonder." He slammed the doors behind them.

"So where to then?" Rose asked as they looked around the square.

"Just a wonder. Good old Cardiff, bound to have some excitement. Time rifts draw all sorts of trouble you know."

"Is that what draws it?" Rose asked. "And here I thought it was just you."

"Well there is that," he grinned, "but that's just because I'm always at the right place at the right time. It's a Time Lord thing. Mixed about in the biology." He drew a squiggle on his chest with his free hand.

"Oh really, so it was necessary to be twelve months late then?"

"Well, if you think on it," he leaned against the TARDIS, "we were just in time, in just the right location to stop the Slitheen family."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Right. And we couldn't have just skipped ahead after we'd checked in with my mum?"

"That's where you're wrong Rose," the Doctor responded, his face quite serious. "Had it been twelve hours," the Doctor took a step towards her, "it's possible that time would have been disrupted and we wouldn't have been drawn to witness that crash landing. One little blip Rose, one little turn out of place can change all of future history. Sometimes the TARDIS knows best." He fondly tapped the side of the blue box.

"The TARDIS then... what happened to Time Lord biology?" Rose teased.

The Doctor just ignored her. "I had those coordinates right," He leaned against the TARDIS once more and shoved his hands in his pockets, "but at some point, through the time vortex, we crossed a thin timeline, as delicate as a spider web. We touched that spiderweb Rose, and with that touch," he drew out one of his hands and tapped her on the shoulder, "we were pulled off course. A new timeline was established at that extremely fragile moment in time."

"Well if time's so fragile, what about all those times we've gone mucking about?" Rose asked, raising her brow.

"Well," the Doctor shifted where he stood, "that's different."

"Really?" Rose was sceptical.

"Really." The Doctor nodded. "Now," He pulled on her arm. "Let's go explore. How about a tour of Cardiff Castle? Ever been there before?" he asked as he rocked back and forth on his feet.

"Nope. I skipped class on the day of the field trip. Went to see Jimmy Stone." It was clear from her expression it wasn't a fond memory.

The Doctor frowned.

"Wish I'd gone with them now," Rose continued, "all I did was sit around Jimmy's flat watching him get drunk and write rubbish music." She rolled her eyes at her past self.

"Well then, we'll go take a look and after the TARDIS finishes refuelling, hop back and take a tour the past."

Rose smiled. That did sound fun. They'd never gone to a historical castle.

The Doctor grinned and grasped her hand. "I say let's be proper tourists. Cardiff Castle!" He grinned, "Maybe get one of those self-guided headsets this time."

"This time? Why not a real guide?" Rose asked.

"Got thrown out last time, kept correcting the tour guide."

Rose laughed. "Sounds about right." She squeezed his hand back. "Right then. Cardiff Castle by audio tour!"

Eva stood outside of Professor Chronotis' office staring at the doorknob. There wasn't anything particularly fascinating about it. In fact, it was like every other doorknob up and down that wing of the building, tarnished but for the smooth circler ring where it had been polished by the hands of hundreds, possibly thousands, of students and professors over the years. She shifted slightly and stretched her fingers. In truth, she was afraid to turn the knob. It was silly really. She'd turned that very knob on countless occasions. After all, it wasn't uncommon for the professor to ask her to meet him in his office after class. In fact, it had only been a few months ago… well… give or take a few decades. It was just a doorknob. She tightened her jaw, stepped forward, raised her hand… Then, just as her fingers touched the cool brass…

"Ah Miss Tyler!"

Eva jumped and spun around at the sound of the professor's voice. There he was… Professor Chronotis. She couldn't help but let the corner of her mouth twitch slightly as she observed the ridiculously tall pile of books balance precariously in his arms. As it wobbled, she hurried to assist him.

"Oh thank you, dear," the old man chuckled. "Picked up a few at an estate sale just this weekend."

Eva's face softened further, and the tension that she'd held in her body seemed to dissipate. Despite how strange the situation was, it was comforting to be standing here, helping Chronotis deliver another pile of books to his ever-expanding collection. She didn't doubt for a moment that he already had copies of these very books somewhere piled in his office. He seemed to have at least one copy of every book she'd ever heard of. It was uncanny how he seemed to know exactly what she was looking for. The only problem was, it often took him a rather long time to find anything in his office.

Relieved of some of the load, the professor reached for the brass doorknob and pushed the door open. "Come on then, let's sit down and have a little chat. Perhaps a pot of tea?"

Eva nodded absentmindedly as she weaved her way around tall stacks of books and papers. It was so strange. It looked exactly as it had back in 1986. She watched as the professor set his stack of books on a tower already three feet tall. It wobbled slightly and then settled as the professor pointed to it as though commanding it to behave. Eva set the books she'd been carrying down next to the tower, beginning a new mountain that would inevitably be buried in more books by the end of the week.

Eva's attention was drawn back to the professor as he asked, "Mint if I remember?" She nodded after his retreating back and then continued her perusal.

"Miss Tyler?"

"Oh…" She quickly realised that he wouldn't have seen her nod. "Yes, please. If it's not too much trouble."

"No… not at all! Perfectly fine!" Eva couldn't help but notice a rather eager tone in the professor's voice. For some reason, he seemed thrilled at the prospect of mint tea. "Odd," Eva mumbled. She didn't recall the professor being particularly fond of the herbal tea. Though, this was Professor Chronotis. Who knew what was going through his head. She turned her focus back to the office. As though on instinct, she found herself hovering over the small settee that she usually occupied when in his office. She narrowed her brow at the side table. "What?" She reached down and picked up a silver pen wrapped in a purple hair tie. It was her pen, the Parker pen that she'd left in the professor's office before she'd returned to London for Pete and Jackie's wedding. She rolled it between her fingers as though trying to verify that it was real. She couldn't help but laugh. She'd actually been worried when she realised she'd left it in his office. Who knew where it would be when she'd returned… but here it was… her Parker, just where she'd left it. Twenty… twenty years ago. She sank down onto the settee and let out a soft laugh. She supposed finding her pen where she'd left it was nothing when compared to the angel statue and that Doctor alien. She dropped the pen into her purse.

After making herself comfortable, her attention was drawn to the professor who was now carrying a large tea tray on which sat a tea set and a rather large pile of biscuits. "How are you here?" She asked him. It just didn't make sense that he was still alive. Well, she supposed it was possible… but still at the school? Still the same?

The professor gave no indication that he'd heard her. "I've got something special for you," he said as he put the tea tray down on a pile of faded encyclopedias. I've been saving it up for a special occasion." He smiled up at her and gave her a wink. "And considering you just happen to like mint tea… I think it's just the thing."

Eva studied the old man as he arranged biscuits on two small plates. After a bit, she pointed to the side table. "My pen was there."

Again, he didn't respond. It was then Eva noticed a familiar pile of notes. Her eyes widened. "And that's… those are my notes for my essay."

"Yes… yes…" the professor held out a cup of tea to her. She took it on instinct. "It is a bit late, isn't it. I'm sure if I have a word with your professor…"

Eva's eyes widened. "Professor Collins is still teaching?" She looked at Chronotis as though he'd gone mad. He shook his head. "Of course not. What a ridiculous notion." He nodded towards her to emphasise his point. "She was seventy-two you know. Ripe age for retirement."

"But… Seventy-two? How can…"

"Oh yes, lovely young woman," Chronotis interrupted, "retired not long after you left." He frowned and shook his head. "Passed away I hear… just a few years ago at the young age of ninety." He shrugged. "I suppose that's quite reasonable… considering."

Considering? Eva watched as he took a sip of his tea. She glanced down at her cup and paused. She was extremely confused. "It's red!" It reminded her of the colour of a hibiscus tea she once had. She sniffed the air above the cup. It smelled like mint. She looked up at the professor and nearly dropped her teacup as she let out a rather childish giggle. There he was, Professor Chronotis, the edge of his moustache tinted red from the tea. "Where on earth did you get red mint tea?"

The Professor added some honey to his. "Oh… no… can't get it around here. Had it delivered by a nice young man who visited me a while back. Had to get it from the Skadi Mountains you know."

Skadi Mountains? Eva couldn't recall ever hearing of the Skadi Mountains. Somewhere in Scandinavia maybe?

It was specially grown at the frost line." He then clarified. "Not that rubbish they're using for disposable toothbrushes I tell you." Noticing she was staring sceptically at her tea, he urged her, "Go on… go on.."

Eva took a hesitant sip, careful to not to let it pass the edges of her lips. Red lips were one thing, the last thing she needed was to have a red stained moustache of her own. She had plenty of those from drinking punch as a child. She smacked her lips together as she savoured the taste. She looked up to the professor and smiled. "It's wonderful! It was by far the best mint tea she'd ever had. She took a larger sip.

Having made progress on her tea, Eva repeated her question from earlier, "How are you here Professor? Not that I'm not happy to see you… I really am… but as you said, Professor Collins was seventy-two." She shifted in her seat and then added, "And you… well, I thought… I understood… well, you've been at the school for ages."

"Oh, no dear." Professor Chronotis denied.

Eva frowned. She was sure he'd been older than Collins back then and had been teaching for a good number of years. What was he on about?

"Not nearly." The professor took another sip of his tea and then added. "Only nearing a hundred and twenty years by now I should say."

Eva nearly choked on her tea. "What!"

He winked at her. "There are more things in heaven and earth, Eva, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

"Hundred and twenty… You've… Shakespeare? You're quoting… Shakespeare?" Eva set her teacup down on a pile of dog-eared paperbacks.

"Rather brilliant for a human, though a bit mad." He sat back as though reminiscing about fond memories. "Though the brilliant ones often are you know. He took a sip of his cup before lifting it in the air in salud, "And quick. Couldn't fool him at all. Though, he had a run-in with that young friend of mine." He leaned forward. "I believe you may have met him." He nodded towards her neck.

Eva's eyes widened. "The Doctor! You… you know that… You're like him!" It was a rather obvious conclusion. How else had he been teaching at Cambridge so long? "You're an alien too?" Eva stood abruptly, her heart racing. Aliens. Aliens were everywhere.

"Well, I wouldn't say that. Been here over 300 years give or take. I should think that would constitute as having naturalised by now."

"But, I mean… you're not human!" She pointed at him accusingly. "You can't be!"

"Well of course not." He waved a hand at her as though dismissing the silly notion of being considered human. "And put your hand down." He frowned at her. "That's rather rude you know. And sit down. You haven't finished your tea."

Eva gulped. "Right." She sat down. "Sorry." As though directed by his words, she took a sip of her tea.

There was silence between the two of them as Eva studied the contents of her tea. Red tea from the Skadi Mountains. "So it's alien then… this tea." She looked up to him.

The professor relaxed once more and grinned. "Oh yes. The best Venusian spearmint."

"Venusian… as in Venus."

"Quite right."

But I thought… She frowned… I thought Venus was all volcanic and burning. You said frost line?"

"It wasn't always like that you know young woman. Venus was once a quite beautiful planet," He looked off into the distance as though remembering, "with beautiful oceans and glacier-capped mountains."

"So people lived there? Real people?"

The professor nodded. "Oh yes. Very much like you, I should say. Venus isn't called Earth's sister planet for no reason." He nodded to her.

"They? You imply they're still out there?" Eva took another sip of her tea.

"Oh no, not there. They had to migrate after the Cytherian invasion," Chronotis stated as though Eva should have already known this. He shook his head with a frown on his face. "Those Cytherians... all that pollution, couldn't get Venusian mint after that." He sighed. "Now... the Venusians... well, they've been here so long I doubt you could tell the difference. Though," He hiked his arms out and lifted slightly in his seat, "They were much bulkier than a normal human when they first arrived, quite tall. Never met a pure Venusian under 6ft tall. And that's on the short side." He then pursud his lips in thought, his red moustache lifting in emphasis. "I seem to recall most of them settled in the northern regions of Scandinavia." He nodded as though to validate his thoughts. "A few travelled to what you'd call Greece. Had a penchant for adventure, all of them.

It was then it hit her. "Skadi… Skadi Mountains as in the Norse giant goddess Skadi?"

"Quite right. Skadi was a bit of a cold one and rather brusque. She was quite put out you know, being displaced. Had a really nice hunting lodge in those Venusian mountains and had to leave it behind and start over. She wasn't pleased at all."

"So they were real then? Those myths and things?" Eva asked.

"Oh some of them are quite real; however, you humans have a penchant for exaggeration."

Eva couldn't help but acknowledge it was true. And, it made sense that the myths were based upon some truth.

Professor Chronotis studied her for a moment. "You know, you look rather Venusian." He pointed to his eyes, which were also blue, and then used his hand as to distantly run it over her golden, strawberry blond hair.

"Oh… well, ah… my mum's side is from Denmark, and my dad's father did come from Sweden." She then asked, leaning forward slightly, her eyes wide, "Do you think I've got alien blood in me then?"

"No doubt you do."

Note: For those interested, I've posted a one-shot story called "Where you tend a rose..." If there is interest, the story will eventually become a full-length work after I finish Angel Weeps No More.